Mario, Punch-Out!! on Nintendo 3DS eShop this week

Tomorrow's 3DS eShop update will contain two classic NES titles to download, the original Mario and boxing sim Punch-Out!! Both cost £4.50 or €5 each.

A free demo of Mario & Sonic London 2012 Olympic Games demo and kids "edutainment" title Lola's Alphabet Train will also be available.

And a month of meaty Virtual Console release is scheduled to follow, Nintendo promised. This includes the original NES Metroid game, already released last year for 3DS Ambassadors.

Classic puzzler Dr. Mario and angelic Game Boy title Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters are also on the way. The latter will presumably tie in with new 3DS game Kid Icarus: Uprising - that arrives 23rd March.

Sega Game Gear titles will also finally start to arrive, the first time non-Nintendo games will grace the 3DS Virtual Console service. Dragon Crystal, Shinobi and Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble will spearhead the new range.

March will also bring a number of Virtual Console releases for Wii owners, too. Downloadable versions of Mega Man X, Mega Man 5, Strider and Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge are coming.

Super Street Fighter 2 is also planned for re-release. It will be the first Virtual Console title to feature online play.